To Start Anew
by TinyMinx
Summary: With the betrayal of the Lich King, a young draenei death knight must find her place in the world. She soon finds herself in the care of two very incapable elves... Oh the shenanigans that ensue!
1. A Fish out of Water

A/N: After playing the game for a few years, I decided to try my hand at a story sent in the Warcraft universe. I hope the readers enjoy it. Hopefully, I'll start working on my other fanfics again, although my zip drive containing most of my stuff decided to not function anymore. The first chapter goes through a majority of the starting plot for the death knights as shown through my character and then continues on from there. Anyway, let's start the show!

Disclaimer: Places, races, and probably all of the other objects mentioned in this story belong to Blizzard.

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The town blazed as faraway screams echoed through the horrific night. The crimson roofs of New Avalon collapsed upon themselves as the flames burned through the buildings. The ivory skeletons of mammoth frost wyrms glowed against the moonlight as they demolished the town's military forces. A hooded draenei stood steadfast on an adjacent hilltop. A wide grin graced her face as the flames below lit up the countryside. Her lips pursed, letting out a shrill whistle. She looked into the distance as she spotted her charger, galloping towards her. Her horse was as black as soot, fitted with the strongest of ebony armor. Its hooves spouted white-hot flames as it traveled faster and faster to reach its master. The creature was standard of the Lich King's army and it was as graceful as it was terrifying. The penetrating whinny of the charger sent any citizen of Azeroth into panic for it meant the Death Knights were approaching.

The horse stopped in front of its commander, waiting for her next instruction. The draenei pulled herself into the saddle and rode through the burning city. Her master was waiting for her back at camp and it was best to not keep him waiting. She returned to Death's Breach, the temporary Death Knight encampment, only to see the Lich King's army assembling before him. She led her horse in line with the other commanders, waiting for the coming instructions. Soon she heard his voice echoing through the confines of her helmet. It was deep and faraway as it rumbled through her ears. Arthas' voice had a certain raspy and mysterious quality to it that made even the strongest followers of Light bend to his will.

"Velexia, my dark child, it is time. The battle for Light's Hope Chapel has begun and we shall not be defeated. None must be left alive. High lord Mograine will be accompanying you, along with your fellow soldiers. Do not disappoint me, Velexia," Arthas calmly explained, his voice hinting at the painful price of failure.

Velexia nodded as she accepted her assignment. She had heard of Light's Hope Chapel. It was known as a Mecca for budding paladins and followers of Light. The Scourge had become an increasing nuisance on Azeroth and the Argent Dawn relished the though of new, bright-faced, naïve recruits. Velexia had been in their shoes once, but the Lich King had saved her. He had shown her the real future of this world and it held no place for the Argent Dawn and their disciples. Many of her childhood friends still devote themselves to the cause, but she had denounced their friendship for the sake of Arthas and his death knight army.

High lord Mograine reared his horse and raised his weapon, the infamous corrupter ashbringer, high above his head. "Onward," he shouted, as his charger took off down the hill. Velexia followed suit, riding next to her fellow death knights. Her stomach knotted in anticipation of the coming battle. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Her knuckles turned a startling white as she tightened the hold on her horse's reins. Her axe felt heavy against her back and she longed to wield it between her hands once more. She could almost hear the battle ahead as she dug her heels into the stallion's sides, urging it to gallop faster. Velexia didn't want to miss any part of the war that was to take place in mere minutes.

As the army crested an adjacent ridge, they spotted the chapel. The battle had already started. The Lich King's army greatly outnumbered the current Argent Dawn forces, but for some reason they seemed to be struggling. Velexia dismounted immediately, rushing into the commotion, her axe swinging violently around her. She tried keeping track of the bodies she laid to waste, but she found herself concentrating more on Commander Mograine's sudden difficulty. He was usually such a marvel to watch in battle, but even the ashbringer he carried with him day and night appeared to weigh a ton in his arms.

"Darion!" Velexia heard a stranger shout. She had never heard anyone address Commander Mograine by his first name. She looked in the direction the call had come from and spotted him, Tirion Fordring. He was unmistakable in appearance and his armor displayed his high ranking amongst the Argent Dawn. He approached Mograine as if he knew him, which disgusted Velexia even further. She gritted her teeth, disapproving of his disrespect to her commander. Velexia tightened the grip on her weapon, swinging it behind her. She ran towards Tirion, her voice emitting a primal scream as she darted to him.

"Velexia, no!" High lord Mograine commanded, "Do not strike!" Velexia stopped abruptly to the sound of his voice. However, the momentum of the heavy axe sent her flying to the ground. Dirt caked her face and helmet as she spat soil from her mouth, "Sir, what is the meaning of this?!"

Before her superior could respond, Tirion spoke up, "Darion, you know not what you do. Arthas has sent you here to die! His army is no match for us here. You are fighting on holy grounds, Darion. Haven't you noticed that your mass of soldiers can barely lift their own weapons against us? The Lich King has sent you to your graves!"

A low rumble sounded through her ears after Tirion finished speaking. Velexia could have sworn their fighting had erupted a landslide nearby, but this noise signaled things that were much worse. It was _his _laughter. Arthas was laughing at them. Velexia found this more frightening than anything she had ever experienced. The Lich King had confirmed the truth in Tirion's words. He had sent them here to die. "He speaks the truth, Mograine. I have no use for you or your soldiers. I intend to scour humanity from this planet, and make no mistake: I have the power to do it," Arthas laughed once more.

Darion lunged at the Lich King, his fury apparent in his actions. Velexia gasped, she knew this could not end well. Before she could stop him, Tirion harshly grabbed her by the arm. "Listen to me death knight, you cannot be here. The King of Stormwind is already aware of the events here. You need to report to him immediately," he quickly instructed.

Velexia pulled her arm back, letting out a hiss of distaste, "Who are you to tell me what I should do? My place is here with my commander and my fellow soldiers. I'd rather die than step foot in such a city." She spat her words into Tirion's face, her dislike seething from her words.

"You do not understand. This war is over and if you stay here, you will die! Go to the King and then, where you go from there is your choice, young one. You are very strong in battle and it's such a waste that your talents have been wasted to this extent," Tirion explained. He pitied the girl immensely. She was gifted, but to be caught up in such a plague as the Lich King had damaged her more than she realized.

* * *

Before Velexia could dispute his words, she was engulfed in a blinding light. When her eyes adjusted, she could feel her hatred bubbling up in her stomach. Everywhere she looked, the light gray stone of the city of Stormwind surrounded her. She had nowhere to run now. She was in the middle of Stormwind with no way out. Velexia couldn't even summon her horse. She approached a nearby guard who graced her with a look of revulsion and disgust. "Where is the King?" Velexia spit out with venom.

"And why should I help you, monster? Your kind killed my son and yet you stand before me, unscathed. You deserve to die!" he angrily responded. Velexia heard a low guttural sound in the man's throat. She looked down to see a disgusting wad of spit marring her ebony armor. He smiled at her, obviously approving of his own actions. Velexia reached behind her, wrapping her fingers around her axe. _'He will pay for his insolence,' _she inwardly cursed him. She raised her weapon above her head, poised to decapitate the wretch. All of a sudden, she dropped her axe to the ground. Something had hit her…something slimy and foul. Velexia reached to her arm and peeled off the object, holding it up to her face and inspecting it through the eye slits in her helmet. She held a rotten and rather stinky banana peel in her hands. She laughed at the sight. She couldn't think of the last time she laughed, but this was almost too funny. Here she was, a powerful member of the Lich King's army, and the citizens of Stormwind thought that they could perturb with moldy fruit!

She laughed once more, "Your pathetic kind will regret these actions soon enough. I'll find the King myself."

Velexia strolled toward the keep of Stormwind, occasionally being pelted with yet even

more pieces of fruit. She only laughed in response as she continued her walk. She entered the keep, not wanting to admit the nervousness she felt within her stomach. The King of Stormwind was a rather impressive and intimidating figure in Azerothian history and she was told to personally report to him. Velexia hesitantly approached him. He looked at her with scorn, "Speak quickly, death knight. I do not have patience when it comes to your kind."

Velexia explained the situation to King Varian Wrynn, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. When she finished, King Varian sat in silence for several minutes, musing over the news she brought from Tirion at Light's Hope. "Very well then, it's glad to have you back amongst the living. You'll have safe passage through Stormwind and the rest of the Alliance kingdoms. May the Light bless you," he concluded.

Velexia couldn't help but scoff at his blessing as she left the keep. _'The Light is nothing more than a sham.' _As she walked through the city, she grew even more concerned with what her future now held. Where would she go? What was she supposed to do now? She spent a good amount of time and effort serving Arthas and now that he saw no more use for her kind, what was a death knight to do? She knew she wasn't welcome here, no matter what the King said. Velexia let out a long, drawn out sigh. She knew what she was going do, but she felt like there really wasn't any alternative given her current course in life.

She sprinted towards Stormwind Harbor and caught the next boat to Darkshore. She stepped off the boat, inhaling deeply. Kalimdor had a distinctly floral smell to it and she had missed it immeasurably. Velexia was still without her horse, which greatly diminished her patience. She walked through the small coastal town and into the thick woods surrounding the harbor. Velexia found a quiet spot away from wandering animals and nosey people. She always found night elf territories a bit more soothing than any of its Eastern Kingdom counterparts. She removed her helmet and the armor that covered her chest, set her axe on the ground, and lay back onto the lush grass that carpeted the forest. The sun was beginning to rise on an extremely long day, but the dense evergreen canopy blocked out any fresh rays of light. She reached down into her boots and pulled out a small dagger. It felt unnaturally light in her hands. She jumped a bit as she heard a crunch in the grass, but it appeared to be just a wandering nightsaber. Velexia quietly closed her eyes, she never thought that she would be the cause of her own demise, and without another word, she plunged the dagger into her chest. A piercing scream escaped her throat as the dagger stuck out of her, blood poured out of her wound. Within seconds, her scarred skin was painted in red and her vision blurred. Tears streamed down her face as the fire from her wound seemed to spread to the farthest reaches of her being. She was losing consciousness rapidly, as well as blood and she was somewhat regretting her decision. She vaguely heard footsteps in the grass. Velexia couldn't turn her heard to see what was approaching, but she assumed it was the nightsaber she had spotted before.

The last thing she remembered before her life ebbed away was a pair of feline eyes.

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A/N: And that's it for the first chapter. Chapter two introduces at least two more characters. Read and review if you'd like...please. Until next time!


	2. The Morning After

A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed and put this story on their alerts list : )

This next chapter introduces a couple more characters into the bunch, so hopefully you'll like them. Um…and I believe that's it.

Disclaimer: Anything regarding the World of Warcraft belongs to Blizzard.

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Velexia knew she had died that day, so you can imagine her confusion when she heard her heart beating furiously. She could feel her veins pulsing with every open and close of her heart's valves. Velexia couldn't recall any out-of-body experiences or remember any light at the end of the tunnel. All she seemed to remember was a pair of eyes, oddly enough. They were feline in shape, but the color was all wrong. They weren't a soft yellow or piercing hazel. Instead, they seemed to glow like a candle in the darkness. A brilliant golden color illuminated the encroaching reach of death, but that was all her mind allowed her to see. Velexia hadn't opened her eyes, but rather just lay where she was, trying to get a feel for her surroundings without alerting anyone or anything around her. She could sense another living being near her and whatever she rested on was soft and comfortable. She was definitely tempted to curl up even deeper into the thin blankets that covered her. Velexia decided to crack an eye open, being as discreet as possible. The room was very…green. Everywhere she looked there were plants of varying size and shape. Some parts of adjacent furniture were covered in a thin layer of what looked to be moss. Photos of animals and people were mounted on the walls and a small corner of the room seemed to be dedicated to some type of alchemy. Bottles, some empty and some full, lined several shelves and drying flowers hung above them. She spotted her captor toiling over some bubbling concoction. His back was towards her and she was grateful that he wasn't aware that she was awake. From what she could tell, he was tall, standing around 7'1" or so if she had to estimate. He wore a bright green robe, which she instantly recognized: Dreamwalker. He had long and vibrant green hair that spilled down his back. Being in the presence of someone who possessed Dreamwalker was quite the bad situation for a former death knight to be in right now. It meant he had been an active part of the Argent Dawn and a fierce combatant against the Scourge. If this was any indication of why he had captured her, than the things that await Velexia were not going to be pleasant. He had elongated ears that stretched behind him: a night elf druid. His skin was a light shade of purple. You could barely tell unless he was in the sunlight. Velexia shifted her attention to the vial he held in his hands. It seemed to bubble uncontrollably and it resembled oil in color and viscosity. She only assumed he was brewing something to be used in her death or quite possibly, her torture. The bubbling noise increased, growing louder and almost violent in nature. The glass bottle shattered into pieces and the man cursed, his voice sounding deep and smooth. Velexia quickly shut her eyes, pretending to be asleep once more. She hoped it was convincing enough for him to return to his tasks with his potions. Apparently, she wasn't as sneaky as she thought.

"Morning," she heard the stranger greet her, as he pulled up a chair beside the bed, "I know you're awake, open your eyes."

Velexia's eyes bolted open, "If you're going to kill me, you could have just left me in the forest." She could feel the anger and bitterness rising within her belly.

The emerald-haired man let out a low chuckle, "Kill you? You really don't know what happened do you? Then again, you were pretty out of it by the time you got back here." He laughed again as he seemed to be recalling the previous day's events.

"Explain, quickly, before I dispatch of you," Velexia growled.

Something in her eyes told him that she meant every syllable of her threat. He gulped, "Well, I had been out researching some herbs and came across you in the middle of the forest outside of Darkshore. You were bleeding pretty badly and I couldn't just let you die there. It's not in my nature, sorry. So naturally, I picked you up and brought you back to my home. I removed the dagger from your chest, bandaged the wound, and healed you back to a safe health so you could recover comfortably on your own. You've been in a semi-comatose state for about three days. But, by the grace of Elune, you're awake and alive. And there you have it."

Velexia narrowed her eyes, still a bit suspicious of the intentions of this stranger, "So you nursed me back to health for what? A reward? Or do you plan to keep me here until I pay off my debt?'

The night elf laughed once again, which annoyed Velexia even further. Who was he to laugh at her? Surely he didn't think that she was being funny. "I really didn't do it to gain anything. The disbanding of the Lich King's army has been quite the talk of Azeroth and many of your kind are finding it increasingly difficult to adjust. That and the fact that hundreds of death knights are being hunted for quite a hefty satchel of gold these days. Not that I'm going to collect on that sort of bounty. I find it rather disgusting to hunt people like animals. I guess I just wanted to help you, that's all. Now that's definitely in my nature," he smiled warmly at her, hoping she'd relax a bit.

Velexia wasn't sure what to think of him. _'He helped me because he felt like it? How odd,' _she thought. She sat up, clutching her chest as a piercing jolt of what felt like fire wracked her body. Velexia grit her teeth as she tried to suppress the scream rising up in her throat. She grabbed the sheets with her other hand, her knuckles turning white as she grasped the cloth. "What did you do to me?!" she yelled between her ragged breaths.

The night elf seemed startled at what was happening. "I…don't know. Um, hold on," he stammered out, getting up to rummage through the vials on his alchemy desk. His searching appeared to become more frantic as he yanked out drawers and flipped through papers. He picked up an empty vial; some bright green liquid still remained at the bottom. The night elf brought it up to his nose, recoiling at the smell of whatever was in it. "Damn, that conniving elf!" he shouted. Velexia watched as his features hardened, which definitely contrasted against his formerly kind demeanor. She was rather surprised when he shattered the vial in his hands, glass falling over the floor and desk. The night elf flexed his hand as he surveyed the damage to his palm, "Excuse me," he said as he rushed into the adjacent room. She could faintly hear the sound of splashing water as she stretched her neck to spy through the crack in the door. Velexia could see him wincing as he picked out the shards of glass and submerging his hand into a nearby washbasin. He emerged a minute or so later, apologizing for what had occurred. "It's fine, but um…I'm losing feeling in my legs," she stated.

"Oh, right. I want you sit on the edge of the bed if you can," he instructed as Velexia scooted forward, her legs hanging off the edge of the bed. He kneeled in front of her. She watched as a green light seemed to glow from his fingertips and she soon felt as though her body had been immersed in ice water. A jade streak of light swirled around her, starting at her hooves and bursting into a flash as it reached the top of her head. Velexia could instantly feel the change within her body. She let out a sigh as her breathing returned to normal. "Thank you," she said softly.

"I'm sorry about that. It wasn't supposed to happen and I can assure you it will never happen again," he calmly told her, but Velexia could tell he was still agitated.

"What was it?" she asked.

"Some potions had gotten mixed up. Once again, I'm sorry," he explained even though Velexia could tell he was leaving some details out. However, she was thankful that the fiery pain had stopped and decided not to press the issue.

"Um…" Velexia blurted in uncertainty as she tried to remember if he had told her his name or not.

"Cierdan. I should have told you earlier. Yours?" he finally introduced himself.

"Velexia. Well, Cierdan, may I use your washroom?" she asked; already deciding to use it whether or not he consented.

"Go right ahead," Cierdan said as he held out his hand to help her up. She only looked at his bandaged palm, a slight hint of hesitation and aversion in her expression. "You might as well take it since I know for a fact that you're not going to be able to hoist yourself up," Cierdan chided as he reached out and took her hand anyway, "Come on." He led her to the washroom and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Once inside the small room, Velexia leaned her head against the door, sighing deeply. She stopped in front of the washbasin, noticing the water had been changed since Cierdan had last used it. She dipped her hands into the bowl, cupping water between them. She brought the cool liquid up to her face, splashing it across her skin. Looking up, she spotted her reflection in the mirror that she didn't even realize was there. Her face seemed foreign and Velexia couldn't recall the last time she actually saw herself. Now that she stared into the reflecting glass surface, she felt for the first time that she had disgraced her draenei heritage. Her formerly sapphire skin had grown pale and her shining eyes had become dull. Velexia's horns curled backwards toward her ears, where they ended in sharp points. Her ebony hair was unkempt as it rested between her horns, bangs reaching the top of her eyes. Her dark bra was covered in a light blue frostweave bandage that stretched to her waist. She was curious to see the wound that she inflicted upon herself. She began to unravel the bandage until reached the middle of her chest. Other scars sporadically littered her chest, but in the midst of them all was a large, sore wound. It was bright red and a couple inches in length. Velexia traced her finger over the newly formed scab, wincing slightly at the contact. Velexia jumped a bit as she heard the slam of a door. She pressed her ear against the door, hearing the mumbling of another voice. It was distinctly male in tone. Meanwhile, Cierdan's voice had a slight angry edge to it. She was torn away from her eavesdropping when she felt the sensation of liquid rolling down her chest. Velexia looked down at her newly opened wound, assuming it had been exposed when she had been startled. She grabbed the loose bandage that hung around her waist, applying pressure to the wound. Velexia reached for the doorknob and stumbled into the room, calling for Cierdan, "Druid, we have a problem."

Velexia took notice of the change in company as she spotted the owner of the other voice. "What the hell is a blood elf doing here?" she shouted, blood still seeping from her chest. If Velexia weren't presently bleeding, she would have attacked the blood elf on sight. However, seeing as how things were quite the opposite, all she could do was stand there and yell at him.

"Cierdan, what are you doing?! Don't just stand there. Hit him or something," she shouted, only to be laughed at by the two elves, "What is so funny?! I may be a death knight, but I still know the difference between Alliance and Horde!"

"Velexia, calm down, please," Cierdan said though his remaining laughs, "He poses no threat to you or me."

Velexia made sure to keep a large difference between the blood elf at the other end of the room. His green eyes stared at her from several feet away. They seemed to burn with loathing and disgust, unmistakably for her. His pale skin seemed to brighten the room and it contrasted with his dark, black hair that was pulled high above his head in a ragged ponytail. Whatever hair couldn't reach or he was too lazy to pull back was left to frame his angular face and shoulders. He, too, was outfitted with the armor of the defeated Scourge of Naxxramas.

"Velexia, this is my rogue friend, Dominic," Cierdan introduced politely.

Dominic had discarded the Bonescythe helmet that wrapped around his mouth, "I thought we were killing her."

"No, _you_ wanted to kill her," Cierdan corrected.

Dominic didn't seem to be surprised by this bit of news. "Oh, well I apologize for the poison," he said dryly.

Velexia noticed his voice was bit deeper than Cierdan's, but its tone was significantly more harsh and cold. "So it was you that swapped the potions! You have no idea how lucky you are that I am wounded," Velexia would have continued to threaten him if she hadn't felt so dizzy. She stumbled a bit before Cierdan managed to grab her arm to support her. He pulled away her hand that was pressed against her chest. The blood from the wound had oozed through the bandage and now lightly covered Velexia's hand.

"You're bleeding," Cierdan stated the obvious.

Velexia tried to get a grip on her balance, attempting to free her arm from Cierdan's grasp, "Yeah, it reopened when I was it the washroom. I forgot to tell you."

"Dominic, take her to the bed while I get some things," Cierdan instructed.

The blood elf hesitantly walked forward, roughly taking Velexia's arm in his hand. He walked rather fast toward the bed, obviously not caring about the draenei's disoriented state. He deposited her rudely onto the blanket with a grunt and resumed his place at the opposite end of the room. Cierdan returned with some fresh bandages, a bowl of water, and a bottle of steaming turquoise liquid. "Drink this. It's not poison, merely a sleep aid," he gingerly handed her the vial.

Velexia downed the vial, feeling even dizzier for doing so. The bottle carelessly slipped from her fingertips, shattering to the ground below. Velexia slurred out what was probably supposed to be an apology as she began to lose consciousness. Cierdan sighed, "Dominic, dress the wound, please. I need to go find a broom before someone steps on this, namely her."

Cierdan left the room leaving Dominic rather dumbfounded. He took his time approaching the draenei, displaying a rather apathetic attitude. He grabbed her arms and stood her up, deciding it would be easier to do this with her in a vertical position. Dominic supported her waist as he finished unwrapping the old bandages. He dipped one of the new bandages in the bowl of water and wiped off the dried blood that was stuck to her skin. He was surprised to find that she had so many scars for a woman, but then again, he was sure she had seen many battles. Velexia seemed to sway as her balance and awareness faded. Dominic tightened the grip on her waist and wrapped the fresh dressings around her midsection and chest. Just as he finished, he felt the woman slump forward. She was out. Not wanting to have to deal with her while she was awake, he gently put her in bed this time. Dominic left the house, feeling an undeniable urge to kill something.

Cierdan returned a few minutes later to clean up the mess, only to find a missing blood elf and a sleeping draenei. He hummed quietly as he swept the glass into a corner. After he finished, he returned to his alchemy lab across the room, occasionally checking on the death knight, who seemed far from a ruthless killer at this very moment. When he tired of toiling over his elixirs and potions, he checked on Velexia once more. She shivered slightly while she slept. He grabbed another blanket from his bedroom and covered her up. Cierdan really wanted to head into town, he had some things to buy and some errands to run. However, he was reluctant to leave his patient alone. He grabbed a book from a nearby shelf, _Into the Emerald Dream_, and plopped down into a large chair. "Looks like I'll just have to wait until he gets back," Cierdan grumbled. He hated waiting, but he had no other alternatives.

Dominic returned an hour later; bloodstains smeared his armor and face. A smile graced his lips as he passed over the threshold. Cierdan closed the book hastily, tossing it aside. "Great, you're back. I have to go into town. Be back in a bit," he grabbed his bag and exited the room quickly, before the blood elf could protest. He knew Dominic would let him have it later.

The smile immediately left Dominic's face. A grimace replaced his grin and he slumped into the chair that Cierdan had previously occupied. What in the world was a blood elf supposed to do with an unconscious death knight?

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Find out next time on the third chapter of To Start Anew!

A/N: Chapter was longer than planned, but I'm very happy with it. Hope you guys are too!

-Tinyminx


	3. Past Meets Present

A/N: Sorry it's been such awhile. In this chapter, I really wanted to demonstrate the contrast in Velexia before and after the whole death knight transformation. Beware of some upcoming gore, by the way. Hope you guys like it.

Enjoy!

* * *

Velexia dreamt this time. Dreams were a foreign thing to a death knight. With Arthas being the driving force in her head, she was only able to envision what she wanted. Her feelings and thoughts were not her own. Now the Lich King had washed his hands of her and his army, leaving his soldiers to their own conscience as it slowing ate away at them. Lately, the fate of the fallen warriors had been looking exceptionally grim. Most of her comrades were either killed or had gone insane without the support and power of Arthas. When you've devoted your life to such a bloodthirsty cause, how is one supposed to adjust to the norms of day to day routine? The activities Velexia had enjoyed prior to her recruitment no longer allowed her the same comfort they once had. Her hands were accustomed to bloodshed and destruction, not helping or healing. The fondness in her touch had left her deft fingertips, replaced by the addiction to wound and maim. The kindness in her eyes was dead, craving, instead, the visions of chaos.

Her future was once littered with promise and glory. Velexia was the first born of her family, a family she cannot bring herself to remember. She had been chosen to be a protector, their saving grace. Her parents were blessed at her gifts in the ways of the Light, anxiously awaiting the day when she would become the crusader she was destined to be. Of this, she dreamed. The disgusting Light pervaded the haven she found in sleeping and it would not let her escape.

* * *

_Velexia entered the cathedral quietly. Beams of light seemed to extend to the farthest reaches of the vaulted ceiling, leaving nothing in darkness. Her sapphire skin glowed with innocence and enthusiasm, her eyes bright with youth. She scanned the large, crowded room , looking for any sign of a familiar face. A saccharine grin spread across her lips as she spotted him. He greeted her with an equally charming smile as he waved her over._

"_I was afraid you wouldn't show," the young male draenei chided._

_Velexia released a feminine giggle, "I can leave if you'd like, Revak." She turned on her heel, beginning to depart._

"_Oh no you don't," he said as he playfully pulled her back._

_Revak stood a head and a half taller than Velexia. His form was slightly thinner than other draenei boys his age and his skin matched Velexia's in color and brightness. Revak and Velexia had been friends for several years, meeting through their parents. Like her, Revak had showed promise with the Light and was meant to serve the crusade against the Scourge._

"_It's certainly different from the Exodar, don't you think," he asked with an exploratory look._

"_Well, it's definitely brighter," she answered as she shielded her eyes with the back of her hand._

_The echo of a man's voice bounced off the stone walls, "Attention younglings, it warms my heart to see all of your bright, smiling faces this morning and I'm very proud to see the lot of you aligning yourselves to this noble and worthy cause."_

_The man was too eager for Velexia's liking as he greeted the prospective students in the cathedral's foyer, but she did her best to not let his attitude count against her time here. As she was assessing the other adults around her, hoping that none of them were as zealous as the speaker, the man finished up his salutation. As the students began filing into other rooms, Velexia linked arms with Revak, "Shall we?"_

_

* * *

  
_

_A year had passed and Velexia had found herself far away from her lifelong friend and placed at a dilapidated camp on the outskirts of the Western Plaguelands. She spent her days and nights alone, sharing a tent with a rather talkative human female named Isla. Day in and day out, Velexia would wake up and patrol the area around her, killing any Scourge she came across and reporting any and all findings to her commanding officer. This was not the life she had envisioned in the service of the Light. She was expecting more excitement! Revak had been stationed in Kalimdor, hoping to lend a hand in the brewing Silithid invasion. Contact between them had become scarce and Velexia could feel the hurt and resentment bubbling in her veins, spilling over into her daily approach. She snapped instead of laughed, sneered instead of smiled. _

_After a rather irritating conversation with Isla over whether the undead in Undercity were really undead like the Scourge or rather humanoid creatures, Velexia left for her patrol earlier than usual. She sat atop her warhorse, yawning as the sun did its best to permeate the dense fog and muggy atmosphere. The path through the neglected town of Andorhal became a routine for her as she let her horse follow the road as if it was on a track. Velexia was almost tempted to fall asleep on her saddle when she noticed a trampled path to the left of her. She had just been through here yesterday and found it hard to believe something could flatten such overgrown, thick grass like that when nothing was there the other day. Velexia dismounted and led her horse down the path by the animal's leather reins. She stopped along the trail when a small house came into view. It was a stout, two-story house made of dull red bricks. It was odd. She had never seen this house before, but from the look of the building, Velexia estimated that it had to have been here for at least a decade. She tied the reins around a rotting tree a few feet off the makeshift road and approached the house cautiously, her hand gingerly reaching back for the handle on her sword._

"_Welcome, Velexia," a raspy voice echoed. She had no idea where it came from as she looked around her. It seemed to resonate from everywhere, but from nowhere in particular. It was as if the voice had come from inside her head. By now, her sword was gripped tightly in her hands as she inched even closer toward the door. Her knuckles turned white and her palms began to sweat at she eyed the doorknob. Velexia made a note that she was going to be really pissed if this turned out to be nothing more than an abandoned house and a case of her overactive imagination. The splintering, wooden door swung open. Velexia cocked her head to the side as she spotted…nothing in the doorway. A long sigh escaped her lips as she closed her eyes and lowered her weapon, the tip of the blade nestled into the dry soil. She opened up her eyes just in time to catch a glimpse of a long purple tendril as it reached out to wrap around her waist. Her horse whinnied as it snapped the reins tied to the tree, racing into the fog. The outside scenery rushed by in a blur as she was pulled through the doorway and into the house. The tendril relinquished her waist as it gripped her throat. A hooded figure laughed as her eyes rolled back into her head. _

"_Little draenei, I have been watching you," the ominous raspy voice perked up again._

_Velexia could feel her voice trying to escape her constricting throat, only to reply with coughs and wheezes instead. Her peripheral vision seemed to get hazier as her head felt lighter and lighter with each passing second._

"_There, there, child. Don't worry. You're in perfectly good hands," said the voice in a cheap and empty effort to reassure the now unconscious draenei._

_

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_

_That night changed Velexia's life forever. Commander Mograine had convinced her of a truly worthy cause, one without promises devoid of any meaning, one that gave her the amount of power and drive she needed. She fell in love with everything it called upon to become a death knight. The army of the Lich King's followers did not mess around. They were sure to get things done and Velexia could taste victory inching closer with each passing day, until she was called upon to do something that forced her to forget everything she ever knew. _

_A recent batch of captured Argent Dawn crusaders had been placed in a nearby containment camp, which happened to be a deserted barracks. The wooden building was barren save for the shackled and beaten prisoners. Supposedly, one of the draenei captives had been causing quite a fuss and Velexia was called upon to deal with this problem. As she entered the room, several faces stared at her as she walked towards the draenei. Some turned away, others cursed and spit in her direction. Her axe dragged lightly against the wooden floor, leaving shallow grooves in its wake. The male draenei looked up from his shackles, his eyes displayed deep, dark bags._

"_Velexia," he whispered, "I'd know that face anywhere."_

_Velexia furrowed her brows in puzzlement. How in Azeroth did he know her name?_

"_This isn't you. You're stronger than this," the prisoner continued._

"_Revak?" she questioned. It had been almost two years since they had last seen each other. Sadly, the first time they had locked eyes since they both left on different gryphons was littered with sadness as they both realized what Velexia was here to do. A sharp voice awakened her reminiscing as it shouted into the building, encouraging her to get moving._

"_Don't worry, I understand. But you must not let them break you," Revak looked into her eyes, searching for some sort of recognition from the girl he grew up with on the tiny isles they called home. Velexia closed her eyes. She could feel the walls of her heart constricting, it's metaphorical doors slamming shut. When she opened her eyes, Revak knew she was gone. Whatever shred of familiarity he saw in those wide eyes had disappeared. If he didn't know any better, he would have said that he felt the temperature drop several degrees. He shut his eyes tight, not wanting to look at what she had become. Velexia threw her axe behind her shoulder, angling it above her head. She brought it down, sending all of her weight along with it. The blade effortlessly sliced through the draenei's neck, the emergence of thick scarlet blood clashing against the fading blue of his skin. A soft thump sounded on the hard wood as the fellow prisoners gasped and screamed. Velexia winced a bit as the hot coppery liquid hit her face. She wiped the droplets from her cheek with the back of her hand, inspecting the fresh blood. She calmly walked out of the building, almost robotic in her movements like she wasn't in control of herself. The commanding officer grasped her shoulder and commended her on a job well done._

_Later that night, Velexia screamed and sobbed until her throat was raw. Sleep offered her no comfort, but from that day forward she closed herself to the world, taking great pleasure and pain in how easily and quickly she could end anyone's life but her own._

_

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_

Dominic watched the sleeping woman with great curiosity even though he certainly wouldn't admit it. The blood elf observed as her face uncontrollably displayed an array of emotions. He saw her frown. He saw her face contort in pain. He even thought he saw a small smile adorn her lips. Dominic pulled up a chair to watch the facial festivities even closer, but recoiled when he found that her pillow was stained with wetness. She was crying. Dominic quietly scoured the house for some sort of rag, but any he found was covered with dirt from Cierdan's herbalism experiments and he had a feeling that leaving a big streak of soil across her face would not be a good idea. He sighed, thinking of the only alternative. Dominic pulled his sleeve down, stretching it over his fingers as he dabbed at the corners of her eyes. He tried to keep the rest of his body as far away from her as possible, stretching his arm out as he turned his face and chest. Dominic froze in place as she felt her cold fingers wrap around his wrist, holding his hand in place. He leaned over her, trying to unravel his hand from her grasp. He should have learned by now to never trust a crying woman, whether they were asleep or not. Dominic was genuinely surprised when Velexia had seized him by the throat, his hand still clasped in hers.

"Never touch me again," she said softly, but harshly as she gave his throat a final squeeze.

Dominic gave her a sly smile, not allowing her to see him in a perturbed state, "Well maybe you shouldn't cry."

"What I do in my sleep, or in any other state for that matter, is of no business of yours," she said, lightly pushing him,

'_What a self-righteous bitch! I was trying to help against my better judgment,' _he mentally chided himself. "No touching, you say?" he sneered as he scooted closer to her on the bed, leaning over her propped up form. His green eyes glowed brighter with each passing moment of mischief.

"You think you can intimidate me?" she laughed, "You so easily forget that I have disemboweled your brethren, murdered friends, tortured families."

Dominic's blood seethed with anger as he remembered hearing the news of his sister's passing at the hands of the Lich King's army. Her body had been recovered in parts. He reached down, unsheathing his dagger and placing it against her healing wound. He pressed the blade into the injury, "You positively disgust me. The only reason I would touch you would be to skin you alive and then feed you to the rabid grizzlies."

Velexia smiled at his tenacity, relishing in the mutual hatred, "Well, if that truly is the case…get your putrid, blood elf carcass the hell off me."

"With pleasure," Dominic rose and immediately entered the washroom, rinsing whatever blood had stained his blade. He could feel his blood pumping faster and his face growing hotter. He could identify the loathing flowing through him, but what else? Whatever emotions were stirring within his core took a backseat to his top priority. Everything else could fall by the wayside. The only thing Dominic really needed right now was…a cold shower.

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A/N: That's it for this chapter. I wanted to give a brief background. Trust me, there is still a lot left to unfold. Feel free to review with complaints, criticisms, and/or compliments! : )

-Tinyminx


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